The Things Money Can't Buy
by Erinyes
Summary: Up until their defeat, the yeerks had always done a good job of covering their tracks, saking sure no-one knew. But they've slipped up and now Palla has to decide whether to live...or die. NEED BETA or EDITOR
1. Chapter One

The Things Money Can't Buy

My name is Palla. Pallantia, if you want to get picky, but I hardly ever go by that so don't worry about it. 

I have a story to tell you. You've probably heard it again. You've read and studied the Animorphs and how they saved us, I'd be willing to bet you've seen at least one of them on Tv. But that isn't nearly the whole story. That's just the version everyone else hears, everyone but you. 

Lucky you.   


* * *

Palla was late. Not that it mattered if she was five minutes or half an hour late. When your dad is as rich as he is people forgive you easy. Maybe she was spoiled, after all who would rat on her. Or maybe it just isn't worth the time to reprimand her. That was probably it. 

And even if it didn't matter, it still ticked her off. Palla didn't like being being given special privileges. Not when when they came courtesy of her father's money. He was an internet-entrepreneur type. About five years ago the company he owned stared doing good. Really good. So they became really rich. Palla was eleven years old when she came home from school and discovered she was heir to half a fortune. 

Palla started out a fast walk, but gradually slowed. Irritated, she glanced at a wrist-watch. _I'll be late in five minutes and it takes the bus ten minutes, at best. _Hiking the pack farther up her back, she started toward the stop. She went through a well-memorized list of impolite words as she walked. Under her breath, of course. She did have a good-girl image to keep after all, albeit one who apparently talked to herself. 

Luckily, the bus was on time today. She sat down and tried to ignore the people who recognized her and waved. _Hate being rich_, she thought contemplatively. Although it did have it's high points. Like the restaurant dinner she was late for by now. That was okay, Palla reasoned sarcastically. _He'll get over it; he's probably talking to some businessman on his cell. Or he'll just won't notice._ She couldn't give less of a rat's-ass how her father thought about her. 

Seventeen minutes and about seven bus stops later she got off. Someone opened the restaurant door and Palla nodded politely. Her father's table was below a large picture of the Greek Parthenon. She smiled; it was her favorite picture in the restaurant. He looked at her as she sat down across from him. "You're late," He informed her. _Like she couldn't figure it out on her own._ "You brought your bag?" 

She sighed and rolled her eyes, slightly so he wouldn't notice. It didn't surprise her that he forgot, even though she told him last night. "Yes, I left from school. I told you I would last night." 

Before he could say anything in response the waiter came and they ordered. Palla looked around the familiar restaurant. She'd gone here for years, but still loved it. It wasn't a very fancy place, at least not by her father's standards. He often asked why she insisted on going here when it was her turn to pick the dinner spot. It was something they did: go to a restaurant every other week. Palla and her father had argued constantly. Her father suggested it for Kayla's sake: To remind them to stay together. It usually worked. They had a specific order and each dinner night the next person got to pick the restaurant. Two weeks ago it had been at a classy place her father picked out and two weeks before that it had been at Pizza Hut. She covered her mouth remembering his reaction. It had not been good. 

Of all the places, the ones Kayla picked were always the most fun to go to. She was upset that she missed tonight's. She loved this place too. She didn't feel too badly for her. Kayla was at a friends house sleeping over. It was her second sleepover and she was under the impression it would be identical. 

"What is it, Palla?" Her dad asked. She shrugged. "Just thinking about Kayla. It's weird. Going to a dinner without her." 

"I'm sure she's fine. She was very excited when I dropped her off." 

"I know," Once the plates were cleared away her father cleared his throat. "I know you're mad I'm leaving during your birthday," Palla shrugged, indifferent. "I have something for you. Before I leave tomorrow I'll give it to you." 

She looked up, curious despite herself. Usually, he wasn't so secretive. Finding nothing, She nodded and stood to leave. Just before they reached the door a couple stopped Palla's father and began talking. She caught her father's attention and gestured toward the door. "I'll be in Edie's." 

"Sure. I'll only be a few minutes." 

It was much cooler outside. Palla briefly considered not walking the block to the small CD store, then stubbornly shoved her hands into pockets and started walking. Maybe if it was warmer and Palla had been moving slower she would have seen him in time, or . But she didn't and ran into him. The impact made the old man stagger back a few steps. "Sorry. I didn't see you. Are you alright?" 

He looked up and gave her a blank stare. "You must be careful.", he said pointing, "They are everywhere." Unnerved more than anything, Palla took a step back and another. He grabbed Palla's shoulders and peered closely at her face, his eyes now wide and twitching. His breath was sour and he had a dank, musty smell. "You must listen to me. Never let them take you! Never let the Yeerks take you! The Yeerks, they are here." Some people walked by and he fell silent. Watching suspiciously as if he expected everyone to disappear 'round him. They walked by and he shook himself as if waking up. 

"The yeerks," he said again in a rush. "They're here, you can't let them-" He stopped and at the same moment his grip loosened. Palla stumbled back. He looked up, an expression of unimaginable dread and fear on his face. For a brief second Palla felt sorry for him. She looked up too, when she heard the footsteps. 

"Hey! What the hell do you think you think you're doing? Get away from my daughter!" Her father turned worriedly to Palla. "Are you all right?" Beside him the man from the restaurant quietly watched the nut. Palla saw the calculated look in his eyes and shivered, glad he wasn't looking at her. 

"No. I'm just- He just surprised me." Palla said quickly, distracted by the silent argument going on behind him. Around them a crowd started to form. Palla's father started to reassure them and out of the corner of my eye I saw the other man staring coldly at the lunatic. As I watched he continued to glare and mouthed something incoherent. 

More people appeared and led the man away. As Palla stood he began yelling again, ignoring the murderous glares sent in his direction. She watched, fascinated, as the glaring man turned several shades darker with rage. 

She frowned. The lunatic, she couldn't understand what he was saying. It sounded either really slurred or a foreign language. Palla continued to listen as he was dragged farther down the street. It didn't sound like a familiar language. 

"Gaffnur! Fraghent andalites. Kill them! Halaf!" Someone jerked him roughly and he finally fell silent. The crowd dispersed, reassured that Palla was fine. 

She wasn't upset, she had been through enough to have developed a knack for shutting stuff out.. It was more a weird creepy feeling. Like the split-second before the baddie shows up in one of those old black-and-white movies, you know he's there but can't quite see him. It was just some wacko. A lunatic. Who cares. But what was it he said? Yeerks? That was familiar. That word meant something. Where had she heard it… for a second her breath stopped in her throat. The hospital. A week before she died, her mom told her a story. Something about what she said happened to her. Palla always thought it was some kind of dream or drug-induced hallucination. But it was impossible. The story her mother told Palla was impossible. 

Needless to say Palla spent most of the night lying in bed staring at the ceiling. The few hours she actually slept were spent dreaming. One dream played over and over in her head. Of that morning in the hospital room with her mother. The one she spent the last month of her life in. Her hair, dark like mine, had been in a ponytail. 

_"There is something I need to tell you. Something I've never told anyone. And as amazing as it sounds, every word is true." In my dream, her voice was louder and clearer than I remembered it being. It was then she realized that the hospital was silent. Total silence. Not even the monitors made any noise. "There are aliens living on Earth and they hide in the heads of normal people."_

_Palla frowned. "Mom…" She began. With one hand she quieted Palla like she did when she was young. "Hidden they look like anyone and could be anywhere." She paused, gathering strength. "This is for you." She handed Palla a folded piece of paper._

_A noise! Palla whirled around to look. Someone was in the hallway! Turing to look at Mom, she realized she was alone. There it was again! It sounded…it sounded like someone stomping down the hall. It reached the door and the handle turned slightly-_

* * *

What do 'ya think? Was that enough of a cliff-hanger? I have the second, slightly longer chapter finished, but I still have to change the point-of-view, originally the entire story was written from Palla's view, like the Animorphs books. 

I love to get reviews, I'm a horrible procrastinator and having people bugging me to finish the next part is an excellent incentive to write more. So I will not take offense, but will be flattered by you, unless of course you flame my story to incineration. 


	2. Chapter Two

Two

Sorry for the confusion about the first part. This story is being re-posted, the point of view was changed from Palla's point of view. It'll make it much, much easier to write. This story is not finished, I still have A TON of stuff to do. Just in case people were wondering. And sorry so much for the long wait, there was a slight family emergency (our family dog was put to sleep earlier this week) and things have been a little weird. 

Also, a procrastinator is someone who constantly puts things off. In other words me.   


* * *

The dream ended and she leapt up. She felt like she'd just run the 50-meter dash. After a few minutes her heart slowed and she looked around at the familiar room, the walls looked gray and damp in the half-light. The house was quiet, not the creepy quiet from her dream. The kind early in the morning before everyone is up. Or at least everyone else. 

Palla leaned over and picked her night clock from the floor. Sometime during her dream it must have been knocked off. She glanced at it as she set it on the stand. 5:24. About an hour after she had last woken up. This was the third time, Palla was ready to give up for the night. She pulled some shoes on and slipped downstairs. 

Five minutes later she was sitting in a wicker-chair eating Frosted Toasted Oats, the bowl was on a coffee table Palla had pulled closer. A door closed and Palla looked up briefly. Her dad had come in with a plate and a manilla envelope with a half-dozen papers. He noticed her and sat down a couple feet away on another chair. "Palla, you're up early." 

Palla swallowed some cereal and shrugged, "Didn't sleep very well." She noticed his papers, "Oh, that's right. Back to work." He looked up at her with a pained look. For a moment, Palla wished she could take it back, then he straigthened and quickly answered her, an expressionless look on his face, "I don't have a choice in these things...just wish I could see Kayla first." 

"What time do you leave?" 

"In an hour. Palla, I'll call on thursday." Thursday. Her birthday. Years ago it would have been a big deal for him to miss her birthday, it never would have happened when her mother was alive. His priorities had gradually changed, and Palla had accepted it. "Which reminds me. I have something for you." He gestured for her to follow and left the room. 

He stopped in front of his door and turned to Palla, briefly she thought it was to make sure she was there. "Palla, I know you're upset and I'm sorry that I'm going to miss seeing you turn 16. I never meant for us to get this far apart." Palla lifted her eyebrows slightly, empressed with his little speech. It was the most he'd ever talked about. And definantly the only time he'd apologised. 

Palla nodded and sith a simple flourish he opened the door. She took a couple steps inside then turned to look at her father confused as he stood expentantly by the door. Before she could ask anything, something struck her leg and whirled back around, scanning the room. Empty. The same had it had been when she first walked in. Movement caught her eyes as she was watching the french doors to a closet and she turned to look. A Small, brown and inconceivably clumsy it ambled and brushed against her thigh again. 

The dog, or rather puppy, was covered in soft brown fur. Along the narrow fuzzy body a couple patches of white highlighted it's back and legs. The puppy reared up and placed his over-sized front paws on Palla's waist. He whined and shoved his nose into Palla's hand until she rubbed the top of his head. 

"Normally I'd wait until your birthday, but he won't exactly keep." He explained as Palla sat on the ground and patted the floor in front of her. Even if she hadn't encouraged him the puppy probably would have reacted in the same way. As soon as she was sitting, the puppy crawled onto her lap and leaned against her, finally stretching far enough to reach her face. "I'm sorry," her father said again awkwardly. "I have to get ready to leave." 

Palla nodded. He stood up and started to the door. "Dad, wait..." he turned, "thank you." 

***** 

"And in recent news," the radio announced, "This morning strikes among local airports intensified, leading police to-" Palla rolled over and hit the alarm, turning it off. Half an hour later she was readying stuff for school. She shuffled around in the light coming through the window and collected the schoolbooks from the desk and floor. 

As soon as she stepped into the hallway Oshorndota was racing to the next door to wake Kayla. A trick that took the young dog forever to learn. Not that it was exactly fun to be waken up that way at 6:30. Not that Kayla ever seemed to mind. 

About fifteen minutes later Kayla sat down next to Palla at the table. The news, on a television this time, played in the next room where their dad worked on company logs. Kayla rolled her eyes and giggled as Palla mimicked the anchorman, pretending to read an imaginary news bulletin she held up. 

Out in the yard Oshorndota raced back and forth, lunging at the birds in the yard as soon as they landed. The two girls sat and watched him, laughing when his over-sized puppy feet skidded on the wet grass and he fell over before leaping right back up as if nothing had happened. 

"Hey, Palla, what did you-" Kayla began. Waving her hands quickly, Palla hushed her, attention captured by the TV. 

Palla was listening to her, or at least had been, but the conversation on the TV cut through everything else. Kayla fell silent and gave her an irritated, indignant look. Palla ignored her and walked into the other room to listen. 

"An outdoor concert made the news yesterday in California when one of the entertainers, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, resuscitated a drowning man in the nearby river. Apparently George Edelman leapt from the nearby sixty-story building to the river below. Schwarzenegger came to the rescue just minutes after hittig the water." The screen played a shot of a crowd next to the river. "A statement by lawyer Naomi _____ indicates a severe mental disability in Edelman." Kayla, irritated at being interrupted and walked out on came into the other room and sat on the edge of a chair. 

"Why don't they just say 'really, really crazy'?" 

"Because it's impolite." Kayla made a face at her fathers prompt, proper answer. 

The TV showed a tape of the man spitting and slavering and screaming in a familiar language. "Gaffnur! Fraghent andalites," the man raved. Palla felt her heart slow down and almost stop. Kayla noticed and put her hands over Palla's, leaning close she whispered, "Don't worry the mental disability is in the TV." 

Palla sighed. Maybe I'm going crazy, she reasoned. "Come on," she said, "let's go." 

"And in other news," the television continued after they had left, "the Sharing organization spreads to several more states via online industries…" 

*** 

The class sat, most turned around in their sits facing every which way. A study hall to be exact. Twenty or so kids doing almost everything except studying. As usual the students were in groups talking, generally ignoring the teacher. Who, luckily, knew the way study halls worked and seemed to be carrying on a conversation with a couple of kids in the front seats. 

A girl walked in, handed a blue note to the teacher, and slumped into an empty seat a couple rows behind Palla. "My sister joined a club." She said to the girl next to hear, straightening slightly. 

"Yeah, she called yesterday. The Sharing, I think it was." 

The younger girl nodded. "And she's bein' really secretive, too. Won't tell me anything." She stressed the word 'anything' and looked around as if rallying troops for war. Support was less than enthusiastic. 

"So? She's your sister, of course she's gonna be all superior if she knows something you don't." Anne added. 

"What a bullshit excuse." 

The teacher, with her supernatural hearing, looked at the girl belligerently glaring at the kids nearby. "I've had quite enough of your mouth, Bethany. One more outburst and it'll be your last in this room." 

Bethany's scowl at Anne deepened. She looked like she was gonna spit on her. Few people ever glared at Palla like that, at least not if they knew who she was. Which wasn't ususally. 

Anne glared right back at her. Aware of the teacher watching out of the corner of her eye. "So what are you going to do about it?" 

"Spy." Was her quick retort. 

Everyone rolled their eyes and snickered. "Spy," Someone in the room mocked, "What are you? Five years old?" 

Bethany leapt to her feet in rage. "I wasn't asking for any volunteers." 

"Bethany" The teacher said warningly.   
. 

***

"She's going to _spy_?" Was Kayla's incredulous answer after Palla told her later. 

Palla shrugged. If Kayla was disappointed by her nonchalant answer she didn't show it. "Are we going to spy?" She asked hopefully. 

"No!" Palla said quickly. "We're only going to _promote_ the Sharing for dads company. Eat hot-dogs and say it's a great club. We don't even have to officially join." 

The rest of the trip to the Sharing was spent with me explaining first what "promote" meant and then why the Sharing was called that. Although after spending a few minutes in speculation I had to admit to not knowing why it was called that either. The Sharing? What the hell are they sharing, anyway?   


* * *

I love reviews. Just a hint. Sorry this one was slow, I promise more will happen. A lot more will happen. The dogs name does mean something, I changed a word around. 


	3. Chapter Three

Three 

  


"So you'll find out why it's called that?" Kayla asked as Palla clipped a leash onto Oshorndota's collar. He was out of his mind with anticipation. It was slightly embarrassing. Every trip she went on Palla brought Shorndota along on. 

"Yeah. I'll try." She looked pleased. "Don't get into trouble." Palla warned, not knowing it was herself who was about to be added to a Most Wanted list. Palla spend the next couple hours being dragged around by Oshorndota. Who was overwhelmed by grilled food smells. More than a couple people asked her if they ever fed him. Jokingly, at least she hoped. Most of them offered him a hamburger, which he wolfed down in a heartbeat. Other than that it was fun. People seemed not to notice who I was. As if they didn't care. 

It was eight, about an hour before they were supposed to leave, when Oshorndota suddenly caught sight of a rabbit. An ordinary rabbit. You know, the kind you see dead on the side of the road or have served to you in fancy restaurants. Before she could do anything Palla was being dragged with all the 6 month-old strength Oshorndota could muster. Through low, scratchy brush and then along an animal path beaten through the forest. 

_Stupid rabbit_, Palla thought as her hip bounced off the third tree. Or maybe it was the same tree and the stupid rabbit was going in circles. And the stupid dog was running circles chasing it. 

After what seemed like hours and more than a couple words her father would have given her a look for, he stopped. Palla looked around and groaned. Oshorndota had apparently completely lost the trial completely and was exhausted, stretching lazily on the grass he looked for all the world as if he where about to sleep. She ground her teeth together and roughly dragged him back the way she guessed they came from. "You know you could get up," Palla leaned on the leash, "it would make this a lot easier." 

It was only a few minutes later when she heard voices. Oshorndota made a move as if to jerk away and Palla wrapped it around her hand tighter, pulling him to her thigh. What was difficult became damn near impossible as Oshorndota relaxed every muscle and practically collapsed on the leaf-strewn ground. "You retard!" She hissed. The group of people talked loudly in the next clearing. "Soon as I ask them how to get back you are in trouble. Serious trouble." She emphasized, tugging on the leash. No movement. Swearing, she dropped the leash and continued forward. 

Palla stopped to push some brush away. The minute or so it took her brain to register the scene was what saved her. Two tall creatures stood at the back of the clearing thirty feet in front of her. Dark green and brown and huge. They were the size of a horse! A horse covered in knives the length of an arm. Although a horse was probably not the right animal to compare them with. Palla instantly dropped to the ground. Palla distractedly realized Oshorndota had crept next to her, exhaustion and rabbit forgotten. The talking continued, Palla, hesitant to stand and see better, twisted her neck to look. 

The six or seven people seemed completely at ease. Most were standing a few were on the assorted rock or tree. They were discussing something, but Palla couldn't slow her heart long enough to hear them. She crouched in the shrubs just watching, hyperventilating as quietly as possible. 

Ten feet in front of Palla there was a slight noise and the faint sound of a breaking twig. Probably a squirrel or another damn rabbit. Palla stopped breathing and stared at the monsters. 'Please, don't hear, don't look'. She prayed. No one was listening. Both noiselessly turned their snake-like heads and studiedly the area. Necks moving back and forth like a cobra. 

Palla thought she was being silent as possible. Quickly, she realized how wrong she was. You have no idea what the average human is capable of when faced with something like that. Palla didn't at the time, but she had the feeling she was going to learn in a few moments. 

Moving effortlessly they stepped forward, then lifted their heads and sucked in breathe loudly. Smelling. Smelling for a terrified sixteen-year old girl and her dog-companion. They stretched their necks toward Palla and she nearly got up to run. If she'd missed the movement, Palla was sure she would have. It was slight, a flash of color among dull greens and browns. But enough to take to distract her. The bladed-monster saw it too and reached into the brush and roughly pulled Bethany out. 

To Palla's surprise the blades didn't instantly stab into her side, as she assumed they would. Instead, they set her on the dirt in front of a blonde girl. Once Bethany touched the ground, she slowly curled herself into a ball. In the silence Palla could hear Bethany crying softly. The group didn't move and finally the blonde kicked at Bethany and sneered at her companions. "See, this is what happens when you slip-up." She kicked the motionless girl on the ground trying to get her point across. "This is exactly the kind of thing we want to avoid. Sub-visser 34 does not want this to happen!" At the five words she viciously kicked Bethany in the side. Bethany gasped and rolled slightly, straining for breathe. Palla could see her dirt and tear smeared face when she rolled in Palla direction. 

Disgusted the girl walked coldly away. She gestured to the two "blades", "Search the area, I want to know if that human was alone." 

"Yes," one said in broken english. Oh, God, they speak. 

Palla breath quickened as they approached where she hid. They reached a cluster of small trees and rather than walk around it, casually cut them off at the base. Palla stared, no doubt in her mind what they would do to an arm or leg. Mere flesh would slice like butter. Only seven feet away from Palla the girl made an impatient noise in her throat. "Alright, we don't want this to drag on all night, that's enough." The two Blades turned and observed her for a moment before returning. "Do something with this, just get rid of it. Everyone else can leave, meeting's over." 

Everyone walked single file down the path, while the Blades turned almost playfully to Bethany. The first lazily stretched it's heavily bladed arm out. Crouching slightly, they lightly leapt toward Bethany. As they landed, foot-blades dug easily into Bethany's soft side, staining the leaf-strewn ground. Arching her upper-back Bethany screamed. 

Palla almost screamed too at the deep noises the monsters made. Palla knew instantly they were laughing. Moving almost too fast to be seen, a blade scored along her belly. Bethany moaned weakly, most of her strength already bleed out through her side and seeping into the ground. 

"Weak human." A Blade-thing muttered unimpressed, it kicked the unconscious girl, bored. "Yeerks should not be after such a helpless creature." The second lifted his arm and crouched down closer to Bethany's still form. The ten inch wrist-blade tore deep into Bethany's back, tearing through bone, muscle and nerves, killing her instantly. Wordlessly, the first creature grasped her body by the thigh and started through the forest. The second followed and as the left Palla heard the snap as a tree caught Bethany's leg and bent it back, exposing the long leg bone above her knee. 

Long after they left, Palla could still hear them moving through the woods, dragging the lifeless body. It was nearly fifteen minutes after she last heard them that Palla dared to stand up. At Palla's movement, Oshorndota sat up and leaned into her. "Oshorn...let's get the hell out of here." Within a second she was up and running, Shorn racing by her side as they tore out of the clearing. 

It was a trip she remembered only parts of; falling on slick, moss-covered rocks and plunging into a tree only to find it pricker-laden. It seemed to take much longer to leave the woods than it took entering them, but things were different now. The situation was drastically changed. The two trips were vastly different and couldn't be compared. 

When she finally burst from the woods she was partly amazed to find everything blissfully normal and relaxed and relieved it was still there. The gathering was smaller by now. Around her, people joked and ate hamburgers. Someone brushed by her as she approached the bonfire and she drew back from the contact. 

Who to tell, she had to tell someone. If another luckless person wandered there she had no doubt what their fate would be. It would have been hers' if she had been any quicker in following Oshorndota. She _had_ to warn them. 'But...' A nagging voice said in her head, what about that teenager. She had looked normal. She had been the worst, had ordered Bethany murdered. Not that Palla was ever very close to Bethany. She was more like a pain-in-the-ass than anything else. 

Palla would have never suspected someone could order someone else to be murdered as coldly as she did. 'It's not right, it wasn't right.' The voice urged again. 'Something was wrong.' What if someone else was like that, Palla would never know the difference. Palla slowed to a halt as another thought occurred to her: 'What if she finds out I was there?' That did it. "No one.' She thought aggressively, 'Tell _no one_.'   
  


Author's Note: This one was a little bit shorter, but it had more things happening. Sorry if you think I got a little carried away with killing Bethany and all. Let me know if something should be fixed, I ran a spell-check on the previous chapters and let's say it was pretty bad. If you have any comments, it sucked/it rocked, write a review. In fact that's all 'ya gotta write, "it sucked" or "it rocked". 


	4. Author's Note

This is simply an author's note, not a chapter. I began work on this story years ago, and have recently returned to it. First off, I DO NOT INTENT TO CANCEL IT. And I have begun revision.  
  
But I desperately need someone to beta/edit the chapters as I finish them. I do not write fast, so don't worry about keeping up. The entire series will be quite long. You do not have to do the entire series, one chapter or one story (each story being about 3-5 longish chapters) is fine.  
  
Although yeerks are the enemy, the animorphs will not be directly involved in the plot. In the last few story they will make appearances. Anyone who is good with characterization/dialogue and is interested in beta-ing please leave a review (leave e-mail addie) or e-mail me (erinyes_isia@yahoo.com). Thank you. 


End file.
